Ker Assembly stalled over self-financing med college fee issue

Congress-led UDF opposition members today disrupted Kerala Assembly proceedings alleging that the government had colluded with private self financing medical college managements to enable them collect exorbitant fee from students.
Taking up the issue as an adjournment motion,they brought to the notice of the House the recent Supreme Court order allowing managements that had not signed an agreement with the government to charge up to Rs 11 lakh as fees instead of Rs five lakh fixed by the Fee Regulatory Committee.
They also alleged that the Chief Minister's office had intervened in favour of self-financing college managements.
However, Health Minister K K Shylaja denied the charge and said this was not the first time that the managements had moved the court against the government's decision.

"The government cannot prevent the managements from going to the court. We have done everything possible in the issue to make things favourable for students," she said.
Trouble started when Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan refused leave for the motion after the reply of the minister.

Opposition members trooped to the well of the House with placards and raised slogans alleging that the government was hand-in-glove with the managements.
As they continued their protest despite repeated requests, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day after taking up the items scheduled.
Opposition leader in the assembly Ramesh Chennithala said that the government had the opportunity to make admissions in 85 per cent seats in private medical colleges from the NEET merit list this year.

"But it failed to take necessary steps in this regard and allowed the managements to move the court to get a favourable order," he alleged.
He also wondered how students who could not even pay Rs five lakh fee fixed by the state Fee Regulatory Committee can afford to remit Rs 11 lakh.